


Quiet as a Storm

by CrowandAngelWings



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Dancing in the Rain, Depressed Lance, First Kiss, Fluff, I'm Bad At Summaries, Lance in the rain, M/M, Post Season 7, Rain, Sad Lance (Voltron), Seventh Wheel, admitting feelings, past pining, self indulgent fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-07-01 14:55:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15776382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrowandAngelWings/pseuds/CrowandAngelWings
Summary: Returning to Earth wasn't the endless party Lance had hoped for. Instead of parades and fans, Voltron was greeted with wars and desperation. Now, after the Galra have been soundly removed from Earth, Lance could hardly wait to figure out his new role, his next step up from being a paladin. Finding that role, however, has not been easy.





	Quiet as a Storm

Space was silent. There were no noises beyond the gentle hum of machinery and the occasional footsteps of another paladin walking down the hall. Lance found that to be, initially, one of the strangest things. He was so used to the constant sounds of earth. At the Garrison, it was Hunk shifting in his sleep in the bunk above him, occasionally talking in his sleep, or the sounds of cars coming and going outside his window. Space was… nothing. He had adjusted after too many sleepless nights and he had grown used to the silence, even welcomed it, after the chaos and constant stimulation of piloting one of the lions of Voltron. 

Now, with everyone back on Earth and the universe safe, at least temporarily, Lance found the constant noise exhausting. It kept him up at night and made him extremely jumpy during the day as a result. Pidge had made him special noise cancelling headphones, but after a nightmare that’d woken up Hunk down the hall with the volume of his screaming, Lance had opted to not use them anymore. 

He just stayed awake, listening to the noises around him, until everything fell silent around 2am. The Garrison would begin to wake up and move again at around 6 and so would Lance. He had to adjust to sleeping only a couple hours. It hardly mattered, though. He was rarely called on to do anything important. 

Sure, there were press events and media frenzies, but beyond the occasional appearance, Lance wasn’t needed. Pidge was working with Matt and Sam to further integrate Altean technology into Earth machines. Shiro was now a ranking officer, always running around on official business so that Lance barely saw him. Hunk was an ambassador, helping smooth out things between humans and the aliens who had come from all corners of the galaxy to help them rebuild. Allura taught classes about alien cultures, assisted by Coran, and taught Altean on the side. Keith… Lance rarely saw Keith. He had heard that Keith was helping teach flight classes with James, but Lance had no real idea. 

He was left hanging, unsure what to do beyond spend time with his family and occasionally help a cadet out with something. It’s not that he minded, it was just so anticlimactic. He helped save the universe and now he returned to his daily life? It just felt wrong. 

The feeling of not belonging began to eat at him and Lance spent more and more time in his room. It wasn’t like he was missed, everyone else was too busy to notice he stopped showing up to most meals and that the dark circles under his eyes were getting darker with every passing day. 

He spent hours just playing video games, trying to emulate how it felt to be in the Castle, to be a paladin, to matter. Then again, he never felt like he mattered up there anyways. He played video games until he passed out night after night, not really caring when or if he woke up. 

One night, something woke him up. He blearily checks his phone for the time. 3am. There’s a quiet, but constant noise and he groans, standing up from where he had fallen asleep on the floor. He rubs his face and looks around, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. It almost sounds like footsteps, but the sound isn’t coming from the hallway. It’s coming from outside. Lance pulls back his curtain and stares at his window. Water slides down the glass and Lance blinks. It takes his exhausted mind a moment to connect what he’s seeing to past experiences. 

“Rain,” he murmurs, eyes widening. “It’s raining!” 

Lance sprints to the door and pushes it open, taking off down the hall. He doesn’t care that he’s not wearing shoes. He doesn’t care that he’s wearing an Altean sleeping gown, he doesn’t care that it’s midwinter. There’s only one thought In his head. Get outside. 

Lance sprints down the hallways, completely overwhelmed with the absolute need to be out in the rain. He rounds the corner and skids to a halt. In his haste, he had forgotten about security. Two night security members stand by the door, startled into raising their guns as Lance charges towards them. 

“Let me out,” Lance gasps, stopping right in front of them. 

“Sir, we can’t let you out without clearance-“ The taller of the two says, but Lance isn’t having it. 

“I’m Lance McClain, paladin of Voltron, savior of your sorry asses and I need to be outside now,” Lance says, trying to push past them. 

“Sir, you can’t leave. It’s a safety risk to let-“ 

“You don’t understand, I need to go out, please,” Lance begs, still pushing. 

“We can’t let you go-" 

“Open the doors.” 

Lance whirls around and the two guards salute. Keith strolls down the hallway, fully dressed and holding a keycard out for identification. 

“Mr. Kogane, I’m sorry. You have clearance to leave but Mr. McClain-“ 

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Keith assures with a smile Lance can only describe as diplomatic. Lance crosses his arms and taps his foot impatiently. The two guards look at each other and one presses a button. The doors have barely opened before Lance is barreling through them. He pushes open the final door before he’s outside. He gasps and laughs in the same breath as rain, icy cold, pelts his face. He doesn’t care. It’s raining. 

Lance laughs and runs, arms spread wide, further into the darkness before just stopping and tilting his face skyward, eyes closed. Rain runs down his face and into his mouth as he smiles, breathing heavily as the smell of rain overwhelms him. He’s home. This is what he fought for, died for, sacrificed for. Earth may not have a need for him, but he needs Earth and he will love every second he’s on this beautiful planet. 

“How are you not freezing?” Keith shouts at him and Lance turns towards the doorway. Keith is leaning against it with is arms crossed, but Lance thinks he can see the other man smiling. 

“It’s raining!” He shouts back, spinning in a circle. 

“I know! I can see!” Keith answers and Lance knows he hears a laugh on his voice. 

“Who cares if it’s cold! We’re home!” Lance responds, spinning in a circle. The rain has made his nightgown skintight and his hair plastered to his forehead, two things he’d normally find embarrassing, especially in front of Keith, but all his worries have turned to vapor. The weight in Lance’s chest has turned to nothing and Lance feels like he’s floating. He has never felt more at home as he does now, feet muddy, arms wide, covered in rain. 

He laughs and spins again, but he goes too fast. His feet go out from under him and he lands hard on his back in the mud. The breath is forced from his lungs, but his next inhale is spent on a laugh. He’s wheezing and rolling in the mud, crying in happiness. 

“Lance!” Lance rolls back onto his back when Keith calls his name, wondering why he sounded so panicked 

“What!” He shouts back, opening his eyes and getting ready to sit up, but he’s stunned to see Keith leaning over him, worry in every line of his face. 

“Are you hurt?” Keith asks urgently and Lance laughs. 

“No! I’ve never been better!” Lance grins and reaches up, pushing the rain slicked hair from out of Keith’s face. “Wait, you’re in the rain too, aren’t you cold?” Lance asks, confused. Why had Keith even come out here. 

“Yeah, I’m freezing,” Keith says and Lance smiles. 

“Go back inside, dummy! Or join me!” Lance encourages, heart racing, full of adrenaline. Lance doesn’t expect Keith to do anything other than walk away, but Keith simply flops down in the mud next to him. 

“Keith! You’re getting your fancy uniform dirty!” Lance gasps, but he’s grinning as he turns his head to look at Keith. 

“So what?” Keith asks and Lance laughs a little harder. 

“Gross, Kogane,” Lance teases, pushing mud at Keith. Keith looks shocked before Lance watches as his competitive side takes over. 

“Mud fight?” Keith challanges and Lance nods and scrambles to his feet. 

“You’re on!” He says, kicking mud on Keith, still on the ground. Keith splutters and wipes mud from his eyes before grinning and standing, mud in his hands. 

“No, no no no!” Lance shrieks, sprinting away. 

“Come back here!” Lance hears Keith call behind him. Lance glances over his shoulder to see Keith chasing him. Lance laughs freely, the rain drowning out most of it, but he feels a hand catch the back of his dressing gown and mud is smushed into his hair. 

“HOW DARE YOU!” Lance shouts, rounding on Keith and lunging at him. Lance had forgotten how much taller Keith had gotten, but he connects solidly enough to knock Keith off balance. They crash into the mud in a tangle of limbs and soaked clothing, wrestling and laughing, until Lance is pinned with his hands above his head and a very satisfied, and mud covered, Keith sitting on his chest. Lance can barely breathe he’s laughing so hard and Keith is shaking with the same laughter on top of him. 

Lance manages to get his laughter under control for just a moment, beaming up at Keith. They’ve never had fun together before and Lance feels like this is his first breath of fresh air since coming to Earth. He’s almost dizzy with happiness as he smiles up at Keith. Keith’s smile fades and is replaced by something else. Lance opens his mouth to ask what could possibly be wrong, but Keith’s lips are suddenly against his. 

Lance’s brain short circuits. What? Keith is kissing him. In the rain. In the mud. When he looks like a mess and hasn’t slept in weeks. And it feels amazing. Lance doesn’t have a chance kiss back before Keith is pulling away, regret on his face. 

“I-I shouldn’t have done that,” Keith mumbles, standing up. Suddenly, the cold hits Lancein full force. He reaches up and grabs Keith’s wrist, pulling him as hard as he can. Keith sucks in a breath and he has to catch himself on his knees, but Lance doesn’t care. HIs other hand comes up to the back of Keith’s neck to hold onto him as Lance reconnects their lips. 

Lance sighs into the kiss and Keith only takes moments to get on board. He kisses Lance back, sliding his arm around Lance’s shoulders and pulling him off the ground to hold him closer as their lips move against each other desperately. Lance doesn’t care if some of their hair gets in the way, that Keith tastes a lot like dirt, or that he’s beginning to shiver with cold. He’s kissing Keith. He didn’t even know he wanted to but now he can’t stop. 

Keith pulls back first with a gasp and Lance tries to chase his lips, but he also takes a shuddering gasp. He forgot to breathe. They stare at each other, panting, until Lance starts beaming. He presses his forehead against Keith’s, sharing the warm air between them as they breathe in tandem. 

“Why?” Lance manages to ask, clinging to Keith. 

"Y-you looked so… happy. Free. I’ve never seen you so…beautiful,” Keith manages to say and Lance just stares at him. 

“W-what?” Lance asks, suddenly unsure. Kissing was one thing, but Keith is calling him beautiful and he can hardly think. 

“I-I’ve liked you for years now, Lance, and you were dancing and laughing and smiling and had this look on your face… I want to make you look like that all the time. I couldn’t not kiss you,” Keith explains and Lance lets out a choked sound. 

“Y-years?” Lance stammers. 

“Time dilation, that journey I went on with my mom, I was so scared I wouldn’t come back to you. I was terrified that you wouldn’t know how I feel, I… I think… Lance, will you go out with me?” Keith asks and Lance has to take several slow blinks to process all that. Keith likes him? Keith wants to go out with him? Why is Lance so okay with that? He’s more than okay with that. 

“Only if you wash my pajamas, you got them all muddy,” Lance replies, smiling again. 

“I got them muddy? You’re the one who fell and made me come and check to make sure you were okay! If anything, you owe me,” Keith argues. Lance smiles. Keith is still Keith. His Keith. Lance leans up and kisses Keith again. 

“There, now we’re even,” Lance teases and Keith has the most blissed out look on his face. 

“O-okay,” Keith breathes and Lance giggles at how easy it was to convince Keith to do him the favor. Lance shivers and looks up as the rain slowly begins to stop falling. 

“It’s cold,” Lance comments, shivering slightly, and Keith snaps out of his smiling with a scowl. 

“Yeah, you ran out in the rain in winter, of course it’s cold,” Keith chastises but Lance just laughs. 

“And you came after me anyways,” Lance counters, “you must really like me.” 

Lance doesn’t expect Keith to blush, but he laughs at the redness that dusts Keith’s cheeks. 

“Cmon then, loverboy, let’s go back inside,” Lance teases and waits for Keith to get up. 

“I thought that was you, Loverboy Lance,” Keith asks, standing up and holding his hand out for Lance. Lance takes Keith’s hand and stands up, but he doesn’t let go after. 

“I used to be, haven’t been much of anything recently,” Lance laughs, walking towards the building. 

“What do you mean? What have you been up to?” Keith asks curiously and Lance has to hold onto the feeling of dancing in the rain to not sink into the moos he’s been in for months. 

“Not much, nobody really has a job for me since we’ve gotten back,” Lance laughs and runs a hand through is dirty hair. 

“What? Why not? Are you just relaxing or something?” Keith asks and Lance feels a pang go through his chest. Of course Keith wouldn’t understand. Keith has always been needed, talented. 

“No…” Lance trails off, not really wanting to talk about it. 

“Oh,” Keith says quietly. Lance struggles to smile. “Do you want to teach my flight class? I haven’t been able to recently and I could really use the help,” Lance turns to stare at Keith, shocked. Keith is asking him for help? 

“Are you okay? Why haven’t you been teaching?” Lance asks and Keith shifts nervously. 

“I can’t sleep. It’s… too loud,” Keith mumbles, “everyone thinks that’s crazy.” 

“No, I get it,” Lance says instantly, relaxing. He sees the same tension leave Keith’s shoulders. 

“And.. nightmares.” 

“Me too.” 

They look at each other for a moment before Keith coughs. 

“We should probably get out of these clothes before we get sick,” Keith points out and Lance nods, hesitating as they walk inside, dripping mud everywhere. 

“Hey, um…” Lance says, stopping and shaking his head, embarrassed. “Never mind.” 

“What is it?” Keith asks, tugging Lance out of sight of the guards, around a corner. 

“Um… when I have nightmares… sometimes I… sleeping with someone usually makes nightmares stop,” Lance says, barely looking up at Keith. 

“After we shower, can I come to your room? I haven’t slept more than three hours in weeks,” Keith says immediately and Lance’s eyes widen. 

"Are you sure?” Lance asks, nervously. 

“Lance, I just need to sleep and, given how tired you look, you do too,” Keith says and Lance gasps. 

“Rude! Is that any way to talk to the guy you just asked out?” Lance asks, pretending to be mortally offended. 

Keith laughs, really laughs, and Lance can only watch and smile. He doesn’t think he’s seen Keith laugh like that in… well, years. 

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Keith says and Lance’s eyes narrow. 

“Agreeing and apologizing? Did you hit your head when I tackled you?” Lance accuses and Keith snorts. 

“I must’ve,” Keith agrees. Lance laughs and steps closer to Keith. 

“I invite you into my bed and I get made fun of? Maybe I should take back the offer,” Lance teases, but Keith suddenly looks a little afraid. 

“Please don’t,” he almost begs and Lance pauses. 

“Are your nightmares that bad?” Lance asks gently. Keith looks away. 

“They’re always about losing the team, losing you,” Keith admits under his breath, “having you next to me… it would help a lot.” 

Lance just stares for a moment, processing that, before leaning up and kissing Keith’s cheek. 

“Go shower,” he says gently, “and then I’ll see what I can do about those nightmares.” 

Keith seems frozen from the kiss before nodding. 

“See you soon,” Keith replies, kissing Lance’s cheek before heading down the hallway. Lance watches him go, shivering and crossing his arms, as the muddy footprints turn a corner and disappear. 

Lance sighs and smiles softly to himself, heading back to his own room. Once inside, he slips his soaked nightgown off and throws it in the hamper. He takes a longer shower than usual, letting the hot water warm him all the way down to the bone. He towel dries and changes into a new dressing gown, humming to himself. He stops, mid song. He can’t remember the last time he hummed. He finishes drying his hair, smiling and humming, before stepping out of the bathroom. 

“You take long showers.” 

Lance yelps and nearly jumps out of his skin, whirling around to see Keith sitting on his bed in sweats and a t-shirt. 

“I-It was cold outside!” Lance says defensively, “you just let yourself in?” 

“Well you weren’t answering and I didn’t want to stand in the hallway!” Keith argues, but Lance wants to laugh at the pout on Keith’s face. 

“Fine, fine, I get it,” he teases, waving his hand and heading towards the bed. He pulls back the covers, a little apprehensive now. Sure, sharing a bed to get better sleep seemed like an amazing idea in practice, but now that it’s actually happening…. Lance is nervous. 

He gets into bed and leans against the headboard, but Keith hasn’t moved. Lance sighs. 

“Ya know,” Lance says, getting Keith’s attention, “sleeping together only works if you’re in the bed too,” he points out. Keith looks embarrassed, but he nods. He pulls back the blankets on his side and gets into bed beside Lance. They sit in silence, staring at their hands, fidgeting, until Lance decides that anything would be better than the tension. 

“C’mhere,” he mumbles, sliding down on the bed and rolling onto his side to face Keith. Keith, seemingly not to be outdone, mimics him. Lance blinks, trying to get used to the closeness. 

“Roll over, then I can hold onto you so you don’t have nightmares,” Lance instructs and Keith raises an eyebrow. 

“But I’m taller. Shouldn’t I-“ 

“Keith, do you want to be held or not?” Lance asks, laughing a little. Keith blushes and grumbles, but he does roll over. Lance takes a calming breath before scooting closer, an arm going over Keith’s waist. Lance can feel the tension pulling Keith away from him. The other man’s nerves relax his own. They can’t both be stressed. Lance shifts and presses a brief kiss to the nape of Keith’s neck before running his fingers through Keith’s long hair. 

“Damn, and I thought you had a mullet before,” Lance murmurs, and he feels Keith chuckle. 

“You’re one to talk, your hair is almost as long as mine,” Keith points out and Lance gasps, offended. 

“I’m cutting mine first thing in the morning, then,” he declares and Keith huffs a quiet laugh. It’s not much, but Lance can feel Keith start to relax. It takes a while, but eventually Keith is leaning back against Lance without hesitation. 

“Thank you, for this,” Keith murmurs and Lance smiles. 

“Thank you for letting me out in the rain,” Lance returns and Keith sighs. 

“You’re welcome, especially if it led me here,” Keith says quietly enough that Lance almost thinks he imagines it. He doesn’t have a change to comment, though, because he feels Keith’s shoulders rise and fall as his breaths deepen and steady into sleep. Keith must have really been exhausted. 

Lance, surprisingly, finds his own eyes drifting close only moments later. Usually it takes him hours to wind down but with Keith in his arms and hope in his heart, it seems impossible not to sleep. And it’s the best damn sleep he’s gotten in months.


End file.
